Mike Conley may be spending some time in the New York area during the summer. The Memphis Grizzlies point guard is a free agent this summer, one of the few players at his position to hit the open market. As such, there will be several teams who will target Conley as their first option in free agency.
According to Marc Berman and Fred Kerber of the the New York Post, the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets may be the most intrigued suitors for the guard:
Sources have indicated the Knicks and Nets will be all over Conley, as the New York squads are two of the few NBA teams in the market for a top-notch starting point guard.
As mentioned in the quote, the Knicks and Nets are two of the very few teams who are in need of a point guard and will be willing to spend big money to bring one in. Conley, a great player at his position who has long been recognized as one of the most underrated and unnoticed players in the league, is a fit for both of those squads as they attempt to accelerate their rebuild.
The Knicks who have been surprisingly good this season and have a shot at the playoffs could use Conley alongside Carmelo Anthony and rookie Kristaps Porzingis to create a formidable trio that could make the team a contender in the East sooner rather than later. The Nets would likely need more than just Conley to get to that level as they are currently one of the worst teams in the league, but having a top-notch point guard to build around as they attempt a rapid rebuild with new management could be a good place to start.
Regardless, this may all be a moot point as Conley has at least publicly expressed his desire to stay in Memphis:
I asked Mike Conley on a scale of 1 to 10 how difficult it would be to leave Marc Gasol in free agency.
“An 11.”
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) January 21, 2016
Mike Conley has played his entire career in Memphis and built a strong relationship on and off the court with Marc Gasol. While he will have suitors, it is hard to imagine him signing with any other team.
